


Tip of my Tongue

by helical_synodic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Character Study, Confessions, Fluff, Kageyama has trouble forming thoughts to words, M/M, Majority of this takes place in hinata's and Kageyama's 2nd year, Slow Burn, There's like three cuss words
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-08
Updated: 2017-02-08
Packaged: 2018-09-22 21:00:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9625133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helical_synodic/pseuds/helical_synodic
Summary: “He told you, hmm? You know, Kageyama, I would actually try confessing.”“No!”“Yes! I think that even if Hinata does like someone else, he wouldn’t hate you for it, and if he rejects you then you can move on with your feelings and stop liking him. But if he likes you back, then you’re dating! You can’t lose!”Kageyama couldn’t breathe. “Sugawara-san, I think you’re evil.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written in 700 years.  
> This started as a whim and somehow ended up w almost 5k words.  
> I hope u like it?

It started with a confession. Kageyama wasn’t exactly expecting it. When he was told that someone wanted to meet him by the gym, he figured it was a teammate. He hadn’t noticed his classmates’ whispers as he left the classroom. He stopped by the vending machine to get his milk, like he always did at lunch. His teammate wouldn’t mind, probably. And if they did, then they were probably Tsukishima and if it was Tsukishima then Kageyama felt no guilt in making him wait. He hoped it wasn’t Tsukishima.

 

It wasn’t Tsukishima.

It was a girl.

Kageyama didn’t know her name.

 

She was leaning against the wall, holding a paper in her hands. Kageyama stopped, and stared in her direction. Her hair was long and brown. She perked up when she saw Kageyama, and called out to him. He thought she might have been in Hinata’s class.

“Kageyama-kun! You came!”

Her cheeks were flushed. So were Kageyama’s. He swallowed as he stepped toward her. He wasn’t sure what his mouth was doing. His stomach was churning. “Yeah.”

“Yeah,” she mimicked, breathless. “I wasn’t sure you would come. I asked your classmate, but… I wasn’t sure you’d come.”

“Yeah.”

“I… Yeah.”

Kageyama’s line of sight was steady, fixed to her forehead. Faking eye contact is easy this way. He’s had a lot of practice.

“Um,” She’s shifting her weight around, biting her lip. “You hang out with Hinata-kun a lot. He talks about you, too, sometimes.”

“We’re on the same team,” Volleyball is easy to talk about.

“Yeah, you seem so cool! You’re going to nationals! I went to your game against Shiratorizawa, you were so cool!”

Kageyama nodded, his flush was probably more related to pride than it was to the awkward atmosphere currently suffocating them, now.

“There will be tougher teams at nationals.” A fact. Cannot be misinterpreted. He knew that what he says does not always match up to what he thinks. He didn’t know how to fix that. This bypasses the need to fix it.

It wasn’t the right thing to say. Her face shifted. Her smile waned. “Yeah, but, um.” She bit her lip. “I was um. I wanted to get to know you better, Kageyama-kun. So… So… So please accept my confession!” She bowed at her waist, and presented the piece of paper to him.

 

Kageyama’s breath was stuck in his throat, and his brows were pulled in tight. His hand didn’t shake as he took the paper. It was folded, he looked at it.

He recognized the kanji, he knew what it meant. Theoretically, he should understand what the letter was saying. He looked from the paper to the girl. He looked for the signature. The note didn’t have one.

“I don’t know your name,” he said, finally, after too long.

It wasn’t a rejection. Kageyama wasn’t going to accept this confession, but that wasn’t how he was going to reject it. However, watching her face contort how it did, into an expression that reminded him of Kindachi in the bathrooms after the Seijoh practice match, made him pretty sure he didn’t say the right thing again.

 

“Oh. Right, um.” She wiped her eyes. Kageyama felt uncomfortable. He didn’t like seeing people cry. “Sorry, I shouldn’t of... Sorry.”

After an awkward nod, Kageyama walked away first.

 

\-------

“Kageyama!”

Kageyama’s head lifted as he pulled out his practice clothes from his bag. He saw Hinata in the doorway of the clubroom. “What?”

“Why was Inokuma calling you a heartless bastard after lunch? She was crying! What did you do, you butthead!”  That was an attention grabber. Even the sempais looked up from what they were doing.

“Who?” He didn’t recognize the name.

“Inokuma. She’s in my class, sits near me. Her hair is long, kind of cute?” Hinata was putting his stuff down next to Kageyama’s.

It clicked.

“Oh, that’s her name.”

“What?”

“She confessed to me today at lunch. And I told her I didn’t know her name.”

Hinata sputtered. Tanaka-san and Nishinoya-san were clutching their chests and each other. Tsukishima clucked his tongue before he went back to changing. Sugawara-san was looking over at them, his brows furrowed.

“Kageyamaaaa,” Hinata whined. “You can’t reject a confession like that! You have to be more tactful! Now Inokuma won’t talk to _me_!”

Kageyama frowned, “That wasn’t how I was going to reject her. I was thinking about how to but she just assumed that was it.”

A heavy hand fell on Kageyama’s shoulder. Tanaka-san’s face was dark, “You damn bastard. To squander a confession. Ungrateful bastard…”

“Hey!” Everyone jumped as the captain raised his voice. “Gossip after practice, get changed.” Sawamura’s frown was motivation enough to get the team moving.

 

\------

Hinata was walking ahead with Tanaka-san and Nishinoya-san. Kageyama was trailing behind, between them and the third years. Sawamura-san offered to buy them meat buns again. Kageyama’s stomach was turning with anticipation.

Azumane and Sawamura went into the store while the rest of the team congregated in groups around the front. Kageyama was starting to inch his way toward Hinata, but he was stopped by a hand dropped on his shoulder. Sugawara was smiling at him.

“How are you, Kageyama?”

The question, though simple, confused Kageyama. He was fine, he wasn’t sure if he should be anything else. He wasn’t sure why anyone would think he was anything else. Practice went fine. He and Hinata were in complete synch, despite the whole thing with the confession, which was good. Kageyama was worried that Hinata was mad at him. It wasn’t often that people didn’t want to talk to him. He was just so _approachable._ So approachable, that people weren’t put off my Kageyama if he was next to Hinata. He would hate if he ruined that, somehow.

 

“I’m… Good.”

Sugawara’s eyebrows pulled toward each other and his smile softened. “That’s good. Not every day you get a confession! That must have been something, even if you didn’t like her, it still must feel nice, right?”

Kageyama shifted on his feet, a scowl forming in thought. He didn’t think about why people liked getting confessed to. Kageyama knew he was not approachable. He wasn’t good at saying what he was thinking. His face was scary, and that made things easy for him, because he couldn’t fuck up if no one talked to him.

“It felt like an inconvenience.”

Sugawara clutched his chest. “Ouch, you _are_ heartless.” His voice held no malice, but Kageyama did feel like he was being scolded. “You didn’t tell her that, did you?”

“No!” His face was burning. A sigh left Sugawara.

“Well, that’s good at least. Confessions are nerve-wracking, you know, and being rejected is difficult.” Sugawara looked at him, like he was searching for something. Kageyama had no idea what he would find.

“I… Yes?” Kageyama gripped the strap of his bag. He looked to the ground.

“You don’t really understand it, do you? Confessions? I bet all that’s in that cute head of yours is volleyball, right?” A hand roughly started to rub Kageyama’s head, forcing him to bend forward. Sugawara was laughing. “Well, I’ll let you to it, but remember, your sempais are here for more than just volleyball! If you need any advice, feel free to come to me, yeah?” Sugawara stopped his assault on Kageyama’s hair, put his hands on his hips and smiled at him once more before going off to get a meat bun from Sawamura.

Hinata popped up at his side, his mouth full. “What was Suga-san talking to you about?”

“I… I’m not sure?”

“How are you not sure, Bakayama?”

“I’m just not! Dumbass!”

Kageyama stormed over to get his own meat bun, thanking his captain, Hinata followed him around, laughing. 

 _____

 

“Close,” as a concept is something Kageyama understands. He knows that Karasuno’s last game at nationals was close. Being close physically is straightforward. Emotionally close is something that Kageyama has struggled with, but as he sat in Hinata’s bedroom, listening to Natsu as she explains her drawing to her dotting older brother, he thinks he might have a clear idea.

 

Kageyama was content. It had only been a month since their devastating loss. Since the third years graduated, since he became a second year, and Kageyama was content. Hinata invited Kageyama over for the first time after nationals. It was break, so the trip over the mountain wasn’t difficult and Hinata said that his mom wanted to meet him.

The first time Kageyama entered the Hinata household, he was nervous. So nervous. He felt like he was swallowing a coin with each breath he took. He was desperate for the approval of Hinata’s mother and sister.

He was floored when he actually got it.

They were endlessly welcoming. Having his head gently patted and being called “Tobio-niisan” brought a watery smile to his face and a flush to his cheeks.

Kageyama was worried that his brash nature would push them away. Hinata was very head-strong, yes, but also soft. Kageyama new that Hinata had a gentleness that was not overt, a subtle gentleness that he could never hope to have. Yet, just like Hinata could take his harsh nature, like he could _accept_ it with literally open arms, so could his family. It made his chest constrict in a way that hurt. It hurt and he had no way to make it stop. And he really didn’t _want it to._

He’d been over a few times since the first, this time being his fifth. They were just getting used to being called sempais by the _six_ new first years on the team. Kageyama really wanted to be a good sempai, so he usually followed Hinata’s (who reveled in the attention) lead.

Having all the new first years invigorated the team, and Ennoshita was making to be a fine captain. Kageyama would probably respect anyone who could fill the shoes left by Sawamura.

 

The new season looked promising and Natsu was explaining why the squid in her drawing was green and Kageyama was content.

\----

It wasn’t too long before Natsu left, saying something about needing time away from boys, since they were so draining.

            “I can’t believe my baby sister already thinks boys are draining,” Hinata said after she left. He turned to Kageyama, “Girls are a mystery, aren’t they, Yamayama?” Kageyama mirrored the smile on Hinata’s face.

            “I’d rather try to figure out math,” Kageyama deadpanned. Hinata’s laugh was nice. Loud. Hard to ignore. Perfect.

            “Can you tell the girls at school that? It’s annoying hearing the girls in my class talk about you like you’re cool.” Hinata leaned back on his hands, a smile still on his face, teasing.

            “You think my tosses are cool.”

            A snort, “Last time I checked, you aren’t tossing to girls.”

            “Why would I, when I have you?” A simple fact. A fact that since their first quick, caused a pleasant shiver to run through Kageyama’s spine.

            Hinata was blushing, calling Kageyama embarrassing. The fact was, Hinata was the perfect teammate. He was driven, skilled, admirable, hard working. And most importantly, he was there. He was always there. Middle school was worlds, universes, away when Hinata was there to spike his toss. Hinata made him invincible.

            “Hey, Kageyama?”

            “Yeah?”

            “You’ve been confessed to a few times, right?”

            Kageyama furrowed his brow. Yes, there had been a few times after the first, each disastrous in their own way. He started just saying that volleyball is what was important to him, and it was true. It wasn’t always received well, but it worked.

            “Why?”

            Hinata shifted his weight, refusing to look Kageyama in the eyes. “What’s it like?” His cheeks flushed handsomely.

            “You don’t know?” Hinata is the most likable person Kageyama knows. _He_ should be the one getting love notes in his desk.

            “No, Bakayama! I don’t know! You don’t have to rub it in!” He’s reacting the same way he does when someone calls him short. Like it’s bad.

            “It’s inconvenient.”

            “What?”

            “When you don’t like them back, it’s inconvenient. It’s also really uncomfortable. I don’t… I don’t really like being confessed to.”

            Hinata looks at him like he has a third head. “You don’t think it’s even _a little_ nice?”

            It’s Kageyama’s turn to shift uncomfortably. “Disappointing people isn’t nice. They already have this idea of you that’s impossible to live up to and it’s frustrating. I hate it. It’s stupid!” Kageyama’s shoulders came up to his ears. He was tense, coiled tight, uncomfortable.

            Hinata’s poster softened. He scooted closer to Kageyama and took one of his hands. Hinata fiddled with Kageyama’s long fingers absently. The coil loosened. Hinata’s face was calm, his brow quirked just so, like he was unimpressed. It was exactly what Kageyama needed. Hinata was good at that. Knowing what he needed.

            “I don’t get it? I mean, you’re ugly, so what idea could they have of you that better than what you are?” He looked over to Kageyama’s face, his mouth cocked into a small grin. “Maybe those girls are just as dumb as you are, Bakayama,” he offered.

            Kageyama snorted. “Like you can talk, dumbass.”

\-------

 

            “Kageyama-kun! Hey, Kageyama-kun!” Kageyama turned his head, down the hall was Aida-san from his class, her arms waving as she jogged up to him. She was on the soccer team, Kageyama knew only that much about her.

            “You should have lunch with me.” It was a demand, her hands on her hips and a smile on her face. She almost reminded Kageyama of Hinata. Almost.

            “I’m having lunch with Hinata.” He always had lunch with Hinata.

            “You always have lunch with Hinata. So, today you’re going to have lunch with me!”

            “No?” Kageyama _liked_ having lunch with Hinata. He liked flicking rice at him and he liked it when Hinata would try to trade his tomatoes for Kageyama’s cucumbers and he liked tossing to him if they had time or just sitting together, listening as Hinata talked about everything he could.

            “Yes! We’re having lunch together, on the roof!” She took Kageyama’s arm and started to lead him toward the stairs. Kageyama usually ate lunch with Hinata in his classroom, or outside under a tree, if it was nice enough.  Aida-san was strong, though, and she tugged a confused Kageyama with little difficulty.

            “I like you!” Aida-san declared once they were on the roof. Her conviction didn’t waver.

            Kageyama didn’t want to deal with a confession. He wanted eat.  “I can’t date you. Volleyball is more important to me.”

            “I knew you were going to say that, Kageyama-kun!” Aida-san was still smiling. “But I’m not taking that as an answer. That’s what you say to every girl that has confessed to you, and I’m not taking it!”

            This situation was quickly going nuclear. Kageyama wasn’t prepared for this conversation to go this long. His thoughts started to race. His heart hammered in his chest. “I…”

            “I like how devoted you are to your sport and I like how quiet you are! I bet you think a lot and I want to know what you’re thinking!” Aida-san’s voice was wavering.

            Kageyama’s brow furrowed. “Is that how you know you like me? Wanting to know my thoughts?”

            “What? No, I know I like you because I feel it, in my heart. Don’t be obtuse, Kageyama-kun,” She was teasing him.

            “Ob…tuse?” He should know what that meant, shouldn’t he?

            “Dense! You’re kind of dumb, but that’s okay, I like you anyway!”

            “That’s stupid.”

            “What?”

            “I don’t want to date you. I’m leaving.”

            Aida-san’s face had fallen now, her cheeks red and fists clenched. “You _are_ heartless!”

            Kageyama turned. “Ha?”

            “Girls are calling you heartless. I thought maybe they were wrong, but they aren’t! You don’t feel, do you? You couldn’t love anybody!”

            His heart was in his throat. “I love volleyball… I…” He was suffocating on words he didn’t have. Emotions were boiling in his stomach.

            “Volleyball…” She said it like a curse. “That really is all you think about.”

            “I’m…”

            “Sorry for wasting your time, Kageyama.” Aida-san looked down, stuck in place. Kageyama left her.

           

\--------

“Kageyama, what took you so long?” Hinata asked as Kageyama set his lunch on Hinata’s desk.

            “How do you know you like someone?”

            Hinata sputtered, a flush on his cheeks. “W-why do you ask?”

            Kageyama opened his mouth, then closed it a few times. He wasn’t totally sure. He looked over at Hinata, and the racing of his heart from the confession slowed. That meant something, he knew it did.

            “Do you like someone, Kageyama?” Hinata’s voice was low, he leaned in close. The look in his eyes was steely, determined, even.

            Kageyama loved it when Hinata looked intense like that. It was still jarring, seeing this personification of sunshine turn steely like the clouds during a storm.

            “Maybe.”

            Hinata’s face lit up! “No way! Who? Who is it. Kageyama you can tell me!”

            “No! Dumbass!” The idea of telling Hinata the feelings he wasn’t sure about was absolutely terrifying. “I’m not even sure! Why would I tell you!”

            Hinata rolled his eyes, “How can you not be sure? It’s like… You just feel really happy, like ‘pah!’ and being with them is everything you want and “you think about them a lot and even though they are really stupid sometimes you still like them…” Hinata’s voice went quiet as a dark flush crept down his neck, “And you really just want them to feel good about themselves because they’re really amazing, you know? You wonder what you would do without them, but thinking about it makes you sad… and stuff.”

            Something clicked, and a fire started behind Kageyama’s sternum. “You like someone,” he decided. “Who?”

            Hinata sat ramrod straight. “Bakayama, why would I tell you if you won’t even tell me! You’re really stupid, you know!”

            Kageyama scoffed, “Whoever it is, they better not get in the way of volleyball,” they better not get in the way of their time together. They better not let Hinata know that he could do so much than Kageyama. They better not ruin the one relationship Kageyama would give anything to keep. “Your receives still need work.”

            “Of course not! And you too, Kageyama! You can’t get distracted by some girl now!”

 

\---------

            Practice was tough. Kageyama’s tosses were shit and Hinata’s timing was shit. They were both distracted. Kageyama couldn’t stop thinking of all the evidence that supported him being in love with Hinata, and with each missed spike, they were both getting more irritable.

            “One more!” Hinata called stubbornly. The first years were looking amongst themselves. The atmosphere was tense.

            Hinata missed the spike. “Gaah!” He cried out tugging at his hair. Kageyama was glaring at his hands, his jaw clenched.

            “Don’t mind, Kageyama, Shouyou!” Nishinoya-san called.

            “That’s right, there are always off days,” Tanaka-san assured.

            “Hinata!” Kageyama barked. Hinata’s gaze bore into him. “I’m not tossing to you, anymore today.” He was too focused on Hinata and not volleyball. He needed to distance himself. He didn’t know what to do other than that.

            “Hey! It’s not my fault your tosses suck today!” Hinata was glaring at him. No, Kageyama wasn’t trying to blame him. He was. He was. He snarled.

            “Watch it, dumbass! Your jumps are slower than usual! Get focused, you can’t afford to be distracted, you suck enough as is.”

            “Hey, don’t you guys think that’s harsh? It’s just a bad day…” Yachi’s shaky voice was just loud enough hear.

            “Like you can talk,” Hinata grumbled. Kageyama hated that he was right.

           

\------

           

            Kageyama still walked with Hinata after practice.  It was quiet for a while. Kageyama didn’t like it.

            “I’m- “

            “You don’t gotta apologize.”

            “I wasn’t going to.” Yes, Kageyama was.

            Hinata looked at him. His dark eyes could see through Kageyama like a window. “Good, because tomorrow we’ll be back to normal.”

            “Yeah.”

            They came to a stop under a street light. Hinata’s gaze was at his bike. “Are you ever going to tell her?”

            “Who?”

            Hinata’s face flushed, he was stubbornly looking away from Kageyama. “The girl you like. Will you ever tell her you like her?”

            “Girl?” Kageyama’s brow furrowed. He’s shown no interest in girls ever, and while never really stating it outright, he just figured Hinata knew that. He actually kind of wanted to Hinata to assume Kageyama’s feelings were for him. Who wouldn’t be in love with Hinata? “I don’t like girls.”

            Hinata’s head shot up. “What?”

            “I thought you knew?”

            “Bakayama! Of course I didn’t know! You can’t just assume that!”

            “Well I’m-“ His throat caught. He thought it was obvious his feelings were for Hinata, but a thought occurred to him, that _Hinata deserved better than him._  Better than someone that couldn’t even say what he meant have the time. Someone who didn’t have a scary face. Someone even remotely likable.

            Suddenly, anxiety was gripping his chest. He couldn’t tell Hinata he loved him now. Kageyama wasn’t anywhere near his league. Rejection by Hinata might as well be his worst nightmare. Driving him away is the last thing Kageyama wants.

            “I like boys too.” Hinata was looking away again. “It’s weird saying it out loud. Feels more real, huh?”

            Kageyama felt like his eyes were impossibly wide. “Yeah.”

            “So, do I know him? The guy you like?”

            “Shut it!”

            Hinata’s laugh was beautiful.

 

\------

 

 

            Kageyama was staring at his phone. It was around noon on a Sunday.

           

            One o’clock. Kageyama started glaring at his phone.

           

            Two thirty he picked it up off his bed and punched in the number before he could regret it.

            It rang five times before he got an answer. “Hello, this is Sugawara.”

            “Hello. This is Kageyama, Suga-san.”

            “Oh! Hello Kageyama, I didn’t actually expect you to use my number. What a pleasant surprise!”

            “Yes. I… Sorry to bother you.”

            Shuffling could be heard on Sugawara’s end. “Oh no, don’t worry about that. We were just cleaning, and this gives me a great excuse to take a break! What’s up?”

            Kageyama paused. He knew what he wanted to ask, but he wasn’t sure how to phrase it.

            “Kageyama?”

            “Yes, I’m still here. I…. Eurgh… I want to know how… I need advice?”

            “Oh! Alright. It’s a good thing I’ll always be your sempai, right? I’ll do my best! What do you need?”

            “I like someone and-“

            “Really? Oh, wait, sorry. It’s just surprising is all. Go on?”

            “How do I… Stop?”

            “Stop?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Stop liking someone?”

            “Yeah.”

            “Well, that wasn’t at all what I was expecting. Um…” Sugawara paused, humming. “Why do you want to stop liking them?”

            “I don’t... I’m not…” Kageyama’s free hand was grasping for physical manifestations of words. “They’re too good.”

            “Yeah, I know how that is,” Sugawara huffed. “But I doubt whoever it is, is ‘too good.’ I’m sure they’re lucky to have your affection.”

            Kageyama blushed hard at that. “If he thinks that than he’s a bigger idiot than I thought.”

            Sugawara laughed. “’He’ huh? Can I guess who it is?”

            “Sugawara-san, that’s not giving me advice.”

            “Pushy, pushy, Kageyama-kun,” Suga teased. “Anyway, I bet Hinata wouldn’t think he was too good for you. I think you two, while, unconventional, work well.”

            Kageyama covered his face with his hand, even though he was alone in his room. “He likes someone else, probably.”

            “Well, okay, that is a possibility. Does he even like boys?”

            “Yeah. He told me.”

            “He told you, hmm? You know, Kageyama, I would actually try confessing.”

            “No!”

            “Yes! I think that even if Hinata does like someone else, he wouldn’t hate you for it, and if he rejects you then you can move on with your feelings and stop liking him. But if he likes you back, then you’re dating! You can’t lose!”

            Kageyama couldn’t breathe. “Sugawara-san, I think you’re evil.”

            Sugawara’s laugh was loud. There was another voice in the background. “Oh, that’s Daichi, he’s telling me to get back to work. Good luck Kageyama!”

            “Ah… Thanks?”

            “Bye!” Sugawara hung up.

Kageyama put his phone in his lap, staring at it. He had a message from Hinata asking what the Literature homework was.

 

“If you want my cucumbers, ask for them, dumbass.” Kageyama and Hinata were sitting under a tree during lunch.

“Fine, Bakayama can I have your cucumbers?”

“Fuck no.”

“Kageyama!”

Hinata lurched forward, chopsticks poised for the attack. Kageyama was holding him at arm’s reach, a grin on his face. Hinata was trying to pout, but his giggles were making any effort to look discontent useless.

            After a few moments Kageyama pulled his arm back and Hinata fell into Kageyama’s lap. He was still laughing, his cheeks a sweet pink. “Give me your tomatoes and I’ll give you my cucumbers.”

They always trade. They hardly need to say as much anymore.

“Ugh, I _guess!”_ Hinata turned so he was lying face up, still in Kageyama’s lap. Kageyama’s cheeks warmed. He wanted to brush away Hinata’s bangs, like someone in a movie would. But he just sort of sat there, looking at him.

“Kageyama, you’re staring.”

His head snapped away. 

He looked back, and Hinata’s gaze bore into him. The scrutiny was intense.

“Hey Kageyama. It’s been a while… And um. Do you still like that guy?”

Kageyama kept his gaze on Hinata, “Yeah. You?”

“Yeah.”

The kept looking at each other. Kageyama couldn’t keep his gaze steady, though. His eyes roamed, looking to Hinata’s hair, eyes, nose, lips. They stayed on his lips too long. He looked back to Hinata’s eyes. They weren’t making eye contact anymore.

Kageyama wet his lips. Hinata inhaled.

Kageyama would probably kill for moments like this to move beyond an awkward parting. No half-assed apologies, movements absolutely sure, the same synchronization as on the court. Hinata was too good for him, that was a fact, but _fuck_ if they didn’t work well together. Amazing together. Perfect.

“We’re invincible.” A fact, but it came out like a sigh.

Hinata tilted his head, his brow furrowed.

“On the court, we’re invincible. We could be off it, too.”

Hinata sat up. Kageyama’s lap felt cold. Hinata’s lips were parted.

“I want us to be invincible.”

Hinata nodded, his eyes wide.

“We should… We…”

Kageyama never expected to be on the giving end of a confession. He was helplessly lost, but Hinata was nodding encouragement, his smile growing.

“Date.”

“Kageyama, _yes.”_

“Yes?”

“Yes, Bakayama! I accept your confession! Please take care of me!”

Kageyama isn’t sure the last time he smiled this wide. Maybe when they made it to nationals last year. Maybe when he and Hinata got their new quick down perfectly. Those feelings were old, so he wasn’t sure. They might be close to how elated he was.

“Of course!”

Hinata was smiling impossibly wide. He lunged forward again, this time taking Kageyama down with him in a hug. The grass was soft, but not nearly as soft as Hinata’s hair, which now that he’s allowed the opportunity, Kageyama buried both hands in. Hinata was nuzzling into his chest.

“Your heart is being really fast, Kageyama.”

“Yeah. I didn’t think…”

“Me too.”

Kageyama closed his eyes, then opened them again. He wondered if this was a dream.

“I mean, you’re so handsome, you know!” Hinata lifted himself up so he was looking down at Kageyama. “Like, you’re really hot!”

Kageyama sputtered.

“No, I’m serious!” He was sitting back on Kageyama’s thighs now, and Kageyama lifted himself up on his elbows. “Like, you got all those confessions and stuff, and I’m just a short stack. There were a few times I thought I was going to get confessed to, but usually it was just someone wanting to ask me to pass a note onto you.”

“You never gave me any notes?”

“Well duh! I like you! I wasn’t about to give you some other person’s confession letter! I mean, I feel kind of guilty, but I think I’d feel worse if you were with someone else.” Hinata looked bashful.

Kageyama’s face contorted in confusion. “What the fuck?”

“No need to be vulgar.”

“No. I.” Kageyama looked down. “Mmm. You’re so…”

“I’m what?”

Kageyama really wanted to have the right words. Even if it meant Hinata started to complain about Kageyama leaving him hanging.

“People _like_ you. Once they know you, they don’t want to stop knowing you. People don’t like me.”

“That’s because they _don’t_ know you. I mean, yeah, you’re stupid and scary and kind of mean, if I’m being honest. But there’s good stuff too! You’re just kind of bad at showing it. Like, you’re really good with Natsu and my mom. You’re actually really respectful to the sempais, even when you act like a king. And the fact you’re a king is good too! You know what you want, you’re just bad at saying it is all. There’s nothing wrong with that. It’s annoying sometimes, but honestly, I’m used to it already. I think it would be weird if you started acting nice.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah, ‘ _oh’._ You said it yourself, remember? They had this idea of you that didn’t match up to who you actually are, isn’t that right, _Kageyama-kun?_ ”

Hinata was teasing him now. Kageyama recognized the lilt of his voice. He gave Hinata a shove, pushing him off his lap. Hinata just laughed.

“Let’s go on a date this weekend.”

Kageyama wasn’t going to say no.

               

               

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr is http://helical-synodic.tumblr.com  
> please feel free to contact me.


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